Wind in the Willows
by AneKaze
Summary: One kit of three, of unknown blood, searches for their past with no idea what her own future may hold...          It's a hopefully long running story with common updates so check back often! My first fic please read and review.
1. Prologue

**Prologue **

The air was freezing; snow had covered the ground and everything else in sight. The wind was whistling loudly through the trees. A small brown and tan long haired cat was running wildly through the snow tripping repeatedly on unseen roots. "Help! Someone! Please help me! Help my kits!" The large bulge of pregnancy was obvious as she attempted to run. She slowed still calling and trying to catch her breath as a convulsion was sent through her. "Oh Starclan… Please…..save my kits…" Another convulsion and she collapsed.

"Did you hear that?" It was the voice of a white female, her long fur coated in the flurries being blown around by the fierce wind.

"I heard the trees whistling if that's what you mean." A broad shoulder tabby with brown and black fur responded curious to what she meant.

"No, I.. I heard a yowl I'm sure of it. I think it came from that direction." She started off away from the clan border they had been tracing deeper into their own territory.

"I guess we're checking it out." This came from the third member in their party a Grey tabby with long, powerful looking legs. They followed the she-cat as she ran ahead searching in different directions, determined to find the origin of the sound.

"There!" She ran farther ahead jumping over a snow covered log she disappeared. The two he-cats looked at each other confused and run after her stopping on top of the log to find the white cat furiously liking a small sand colored queen.

"Roseleaf-" The dark colored male started.

"She's pregnant and I think she may be going into labor. And she's freezing!" Roseleaf meowed with an attempted calm voice but she was shaking.

"Shiverclaw, run and get NettleWhisker! Now!" The Dark tabby ordered and Shiverclaw bolted away without a second glance.

"Thornstar," The dark tabby returned his gaze to the two she-cats. "She's unconscious…" Without warning the sand colored cat had a jolt run through her body and he breathing worsened. Thornstar jumped down from the log and curled his large body around the small cat. Roseleaf continued to lick her but tried to warm her body with hers as well.

"My…my kits…please-" the sand colored queen woke slowly shaking heavily.

Shiverclaw arrived followed by a small light brown she-cat carrying a bundle of dried herbs. She bent over the sand colored cat to check her vitals then turned to Thornstar.

"I don't think she's going to make it but I should be able to save the kits." She whispered over the still whistling trees.

"Do what you can to make it easier for her." Thornstar sighed. NettleWhisker gave the sand colored cat some herbs which she choked down.

"What's your name?" She whispered to her.

"Si-Silvertail"

About an hour later the kits where safely delivered and Silvertail had stopped shivering.

She was dying..

"Please..." She coughed. "These kits are the son of the Streamclan deputy… I-" Pain shot through her and she closed her eyes tightly. "My mate is the leader…" The cats around her gasped it was almost unheard of to mate with two males, in fact it was punishable. "I loved Mudstar but he had a terrible temper and he couldn't have kits with me," she wheezed. "He would always say it was my fault, that I was unable, which wasn't true and I knew it…" she stopped to catch her breath again, it came harder to speak. " Floodfoot and I were closed friends as kits and so he was the only one who knew of our… inability to have kits….. He decided to impregnate me and allow Mudstar to raise them." She opened her eyes and looked sadly at Roseleaf. "I fell in love with Floodfoot, and he with me… he...he treated me with so much more respect." She paused again. "Mudstar was furious when I told him I wanted to be with Floodfoot…..he attacked Floodfoot and killed him out of pure rage!" Her breathing worsed again as she gasped for air, whimpering and crying over her lost love.

"Don't- your pushing your self too hard" Roseleaf began but the small cat shook her head.

"I have to finish... before I..." She coughed up some blood. "Mudstar was furious at my betrayal an had me banished from the clan and told all of our clan if I was seen on his territory I was to be chased out or killed and..." She let out a yowl of pain and suffering. Her kits nuzzled beside her, crying for the milk that had stopped coming. She looked down lovingly at her kits. "They are not to know of these kits. I will watch them from Starclan... if I'm allowed. I can't stand the thought of losing them too..." And with that she closed her eyes and seemed to fall asleep. Only the sounds of her crying kits were left.


	2. Chapter 1

_Two kits suckled at the stomach of a longhaired white queen. The queen looked on lovingly, they were not her own but she would treat them like they were, after she had just lost her kits before they had been born, this was a blessing.…_

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey please come before this great trunk for a clan meeting." Thornstar stood at the top of a large oak trunk looking down at the clan he tried so hard to protect. _How could a leader kill two of his closest clan mates, even if they had betrayed him… to kill them?_ "I gather you here this sun high to announce two new members of our clan…" A murmur broke out below him. Only the deputy, the queens, and he, knew of the kits. "Two kits where born this morning, early, at sun high… the mother was from Streamclan. She died giving birth to them. We are to follow her dying words and say nothing to Streamclan. Nothing! If they find out that they are still living they will be murdered out of sheer hate. These kits have done nothing wrong! I will tell them of their heritage once they are old enough, until then no one is to speak a word of this, especially at the gathering. You are to accept them as your kind, because that is what they are. In addition, as most of you know, Roseleaf lost her kits just a few suns previous and the kits would have born around now if they had lived…." He broke off looking dejected. "Roseleaf and I are going to take these kits as our own. If any other clan asks of the kittens parents, you will tell them they are the heir of Roseleaf and I. That is all." He jumped down and headed toward the nursery as Shiverclaw started to assign sun high duties.

Back in the nursery the two kits were eagerly kneading and suckling Roseleaf's freshly grown nipples. Nettlewhisker sat beside her sister and fed her herbs to aid in producing milk, since the miscarriage was a quarter-moon ago her body had stopped preparing for birth and the herbs made her body think she had successfully given birth. It was risky but Roseleaf's body seemed to be doing just fine. At the entrance Thornstar showed eyes gleaming with pride for his new kits he thought he'd never have. They where not his blood kits, but he would treat them as if they were…

"What shall we name them?" Thornstar asking giving his mate a gentle lick on the neck

"Well… This one, I'm going to name her Larkkit…" She mewed softly licking the head of the longhaired tan and brown tabby. "This one, I'll name her Tigerkit…" She licked the head of a reddish-brown tabby. "And this small wonder shall be named Willowkit" Her tongue brushed the smallest one of the litter, a long haired white kit with tan on her nose, ears, feet and tail.

Thornstar nuzzled them each softly then raised he head and quietly announced to the other queens in the nursery. "Then, let it be known that Larkkit, Tigerkit, and Willowkit are now members of Breezeclan and will stay as such for as long as they so choose."

* * *

A small white long haired kit had her head down and her butt up switching the weight from each of her rear paws. Tail twitching Willowkit pounced...

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" The larger kit that had been pounced lay on her back struggling.

"You're my prey, duh! And I caught you!" Willowkit laughed and nipped playfully at the large brown tabby.

"What if I don't want to be your prey huh?" Larkkit pushed her over nipped at her belly.

After wearing themselves out play fighting they returned to the entrance of the nursery to find the two kits from Greycloud's litter.

"Hey Willowkit, hey Larkkit, where's Tigerkit?" Meowed a dark gray kit, he was only a moon or so older then the two she-cats but much bigger.

"I dunno, what are you guys going to do? Try to sneak out of camp again only to be caught by Vinewood? Or maybe Shiverclaw, then you'd really be in trouble." Mewed Larkkit teasingly.

"We don't know where he's gone is what she's trying to say." Willowkit meowed unhindered by her sister's glare.

"Thanks Willowkit" Sootkit meowed grateful that one of the sisters was being pleasant this time. The two boys patted away in search of Willowkit and Larkkit's litter mate.

"Geeze, those boys, always up to no good…. Always having all the fun…." Larkkit mewed sadly, her brother and the two boys from Greycloud's litter were always trying to sneak out to try and catch their first prey.

"Come on lets go see Nettlewhisker and see if she has any honeycomb." Willowkit chimed in trying to change the subject. She too wanted to go outside the camp but didn't want to risk getting into trouble. But more then just that, she had also been having nightmares about what lay outside the camp.


	3. Chapter 2

_The forest was dark and strange, the trees overhead blocked the moon and stars out completely. Willowkit kept walking turning her head turning with every noise trying to find out where it cam from. The trees soon grew sparse and thin, out of the Breezeclan thicket she walked. Moonlight shone down on the tall grass. She kept walking till she reached stone field, she had only known them as described by eager apprentices, but they shone like she'd been a thousand times. She climbed one rock, scrambling to reach the top. As she reached the top a huge dark shape burst from beneath a neighboring rock…_

"Willowkit, wakeup! Willowkit!" Willowkit woke with a start to see not the dark beast but instead Sweetholly, a speckled ginger and brown she-cat from her father's litter. "You were kicking in your sleep again, are you ok?" It took Willow kit a minute to calm down and steady her voice in response.

"It was another nightmare, that's all." Willowkit mumbled as she tried to smooth her fur.

"You really should tell Nettlewhisker; those may not be just dreams." There was a bit of fear in Sweetholly's voice. Sweetholly had taken a liking to the white and tan colored kit and came to see her and her sister often. She was the only cat Willowkit had trusted to tell of her nightmare. She had explained to Larkkit that she had been having nightmares, but Larkkit had no idea this same nightmare had been plaguing her dreams for a full moon now.

"The forest in it seems strange yet familiar, I can't know if it's our forest until I'm apprenticed and can explore on my own…" She looked down at her paws. "I don't want to go out there Sweetholly, what if… what if it's just waiting for me to leave the camp?" A shiver ran through her spine at the thought of encountering such a beast.

"Stop you're fretting, you're far too young of a kit to be worrying so hard. Now, I woke you up because Sootkit and Nightkit's apprentice ceremonies are about to star. So let's get you up and out. You clean your fur a bit and meet me by the freshkill pile… Kay?" Sweetholly got up and licked the back of the kit's head soothingly. "Everything will be fine. I Promise." She got up and walked out. Willow kit sat for a minuet then gave her self a quick lick to get her fur flat and the bits of moss off and headed out of the now empty nursery.

Just outside the nursery sat Silverfeather, a very pregnant silver tabby, was sitting in a bit of sun as Firewhisper, the deputy, walked up to bring his mate some freshkill. "Morning Willowkit." They both said in turn as she passed. Heatherears, a grey and brown calico was sharing tongues with Berrypelt, a sweet and gentle orange tabby and father of the clan's leader. Talonstar sat near the Great Trunk with Shiverclaw quietly discussing with each other. Willowkit walked over to the freshkill pile and sat beside the already eating Sweetholly.

"Don't look so down kit, just think in one moon's time you'll be an apprentice too!" Willowkit just pawed at the ground. Sweetholly sighed and nuzzled her. "Look, how about when you first become an apprentice I'll take you myself and we can go explore the stone fields." Willowkit looked frightened. "We'll go during the day. Your dream can't come true if th sun is out. Right?"She just sat down and pulled a small mouse toward her self and nibbled it.

"May old cats old enough to catch there own prey gather before the great trunk." Thornstar called from atop the old dead tree trunk. The cats appeared from all corners of the camp, some stretching and blinking there eyes, others giving themselves a quick groom to smooth their bed messed fur. Thornstar began by calling up the two kits that were being apprenticed, Sootkit and Nightkit. There fur had been repeatedly flatted by Bluecloud, there mother, and almost had a wet appearance. Nightkit was first and walked forward proudly almost tripping on his own paws. Thornstar announced that Stonefeet would be his mentor. A large broad shouldered grey male with black paws walked proudly over to touch noses with Nightkit. "Stonefeet, this will be your first apprentice, train him well and pass on your strength and courage. Nightkit, from this day forth you will known as Nightpaw." Thornstar then called upon Sootkit to come to him and called Shiverclaw up to be his mentor. "Shiverclaw, I trust you as my deputy and I trust you to train Sootkit, with loyalty and bravery. Sootkit, from this moment on you will be known as Sootpaw." Shiverclaw and Sootpaw touched noses. Thornstar closed the ceremony and the new apprentices were cheered by there new names. It had been a hard leaf bear and these two would be the first apprentices of Greenleaf, this brought a sense of prosperity and peace to the clan. The two mentors took the apprentices with them to explore the boundaries and finally learn the smells of the other clan. Willowkit sat back and watched how excited the boys were at finally being allowed outside the camp.

_ Maybe I do want to be an apprentice… Maybe it wasn't a prophecy, maybe it is _just_ a dream__ like I keep telling Sweetholly_. Maybe... but maybe not...


	4. Chapter 4

It was already sunset once Sootpaw and Nightpaw had finally returned from there first patrol and they were sent to fetch fresh bedding for the elders. Willowkit was already in the elders den getting ready to hear a story from Birchfall, a brown tabby with a white chest; she was Roseleaf and Nettlewhiskers' mother and one of four elders in their clan. The other three, Berrypelt, Shrewnose, and Molefur sat near her. Molefur was dozing in the warm Greenleaf night air. The brown patched tom sat in the far corner fast asleep and snoring. Sootpaw and Nightpaw arrived and started clearing the old soiled moss out as Birchfall began her tale.

"Many years ago there was a great white tom with a black tipped tail ruled over our great breeze clan. They gave him that name you know because since he had been a kit, not much older then you Willowkit, he had stared at the sky and the stars every night. Cats said he could see all the way to Starclan. Now, this kit became a powerful Tom, looked up to, envied, and feared by any who tried to stand against him. He became a fierce and brave leader protecting his clan no matter the cost. Now, one terrible leaffall, after drought had raged the valley and the cold had come strong and early, a terrible threat had come down from the mountains in search of food. A wild dog pack!" The kit and the two apprentices gasped. It was very rare and very dangerous for a wild dog to reach the clans. They were terrible creatures, hungry for blood of the clan cats. Different then the dogs the two legs brought and let loose because those dogs where dumb and knew little of real hunting, these wild dogs lived to hunt and kill. Cats were mere prey given no mercy and no warning. "Now, these wild dogs were crazed with hunger and came for the cats. A howl was heard one night as Northstar stared at the starry sky and immediately he warned his clan mates and set up a plan to protect the camp and the cats. He would send for the other clans and gather the strongest and most agile of the clan cats and they would search out the beasts and kill them. Three from each clan and 5 from his own including himself set off into the mountains that next moon high. They soon came upon the makeshift dens just before morning light. An outcropping of stone was above it, they had used it as a shelter and Northstar had a plan. The cats sat on top of the stone cliff and waited for the return of the dogs. Before long the dogs returned, worn out and panting from the nights hunt they laid down to sleep, fortunately for the cats they had chosen not to use the small fox den as a resting place. Down the cats went one by one landing on the soft dirt without a sound. Each cat went for a dog and quietly opened there throat to let the blood drain out with out a sound. The smell of blood became overwhelming and the silence was broken as a large female dog jumped out of her den, furious and laden with unborn pups. Northstar called to his four clan mates not to kill her, but they must drive her to far for her or her pups hunger to reach the camp..."

"Why doesn't he kill her too?" Nightpaw spat. "Mangy mutts deserve it!"

"Ah, see this is why Northstar was such a great leader, he had compassion. He refused to kill the unborn pups, but he wanted to send them as far away as possible so they'd never bother the clans." She continued her story. "Northstar sent some cats back to tell the clans of their success while the rest chased the Dog for almost a quarter moon before they returned to the camp, sure that the dogs would think twice before trying to find food in there valley again."

"That was amazing! I want to be just like Northstar! He's so cool!" Sootpaw was jumping up and down pretending to fight the dogs. Birchfall laughed before getting the apprentices to return to their duties. Willowkit however padded quietly out of the den. _A dog_..._ that's what I saw in my dream, a dog_...


End file.
